NT Reporter
Panaji
The latest Coastal Multi-Hazard Vulnerability Atlas of India, released by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) under the ministry of earth sciences, has identified 240.75 square kilometres of Goa’s coastal region as vulnerable to multiple ocean-induced hazards such as cyclones, sea-level rise, storm surges, tsunamis and
coastal flooding.
According to the atlas, which covers the entire Indian coastline
at a high-resolution scale of 1:25,000, North Goa alone accounts for 183.43 sq km, or 10.71 per cent of its total district area, under the Multi-Hazard
Vulnerability
Mapping (MHVM) zone. South Goa, though relatively less affected, still records 57.32 sq km, or 2.98 per cent of its land area, within the
vulnerable zone.
The report has attributed the high vulnerability in North Goa to the Mandovi-Zuari estuarine system, whose wide river mouths and adjoining creeks make the region susceptible to tidal flooding and storm
surge inundation.
In contrast, the open coasts of North Goa show lesser vulnerability due to their higher elevation. However, the atlas has warned that urbanised coastal belts such as Margao and the low-lying Salcete plains in South Goa exhibit notable exposure to
future inundation events.
The INCOIS study — conducted using over a century of tide gauge data (1871–2007), high-resolution Airborne Lidar Terrain Mapping, and shoreline change analyses — has projected that sea levels along Goa’s coast, particularly near Mormugao, could rise by approximately 0.145 metres within the next 100 years, leading to potential flooding up to 4 metres in
extreme events.
Experts involved in the mapping have explained that these figures are based on a ‘100-year return period’, meaning they represent conditions likely to occur within the next century under continued sea-level rise and climate variability.
The Coastal Multi-Hazard Vulnerability Atlas has provided crucial baseline data for disaster management, coastal planning, and climate adaptation under the National Coastal Mission. It is designed to help policymakers, urban planners, and environmental authorities identify risk-prone areas and develop effective mitigation strategies.
The report has emphasised that Goa’s dense population, estuarine developments, and tourism infrastructure place significant assets at risk from climate-driven sea-level rise and extreme water levels.
The Atlas has underscored that with global sea levels accelerating at around 3.3 mm per year, Goa’s fragile coastlines — especially near river mouths and low-lying hinterlands will require enhanced resilience planning.
The findings have called for coastal zone management policies integrating science-based hazard mapping to safeguard Goa’s environment, economy, and communities from the impacts of a changing climate.
